Boulder Beach State Park

Quick Facts

Things To Do

Overview

This state park gets its name for the many large rocks left by glaciers on the sandy beach of Lake Groton and throughout the 26,000 acres of Groton State Forest. The park is located on the 423-acre Lake Groton.

Boulder Beach State Park is a day-use park with 75 shaded picnic sites with tables and hibachis. All rest rooms have lavatories and flush toilets. There is a 200 ft beach and a swimming area, car-top boat launch, play area, picnic pavilion with group facilities, three large parking lots, and a concession stand. Visitors can rent a canoe, kayak, row boat or pedal boat at the park.

Bicycling

Route 232 in the Groton Forest is popular for bike rides, particularly in the fall. When completed, the Cross Vermont Trail will span from Burlington to Newbury, Vermont, and 10 miles of the trail will be located in the Groton Forest. Multi-use trails also provide great opportunities for mountain biking.

Fishing

Lake Groton is popular for fishing. Species include yellow perch, large and small-mouthed bass, bullhead, crappie, panfish, and brook trout. Visitors over 15 years of age must carry a fishing license.

Hiking

The Groton State Forest is a popular hiking destination with many miles of trails to traverse, all with varying difficulty levels and habitats.

Some short trails that provide dramatic views are Owl's Head, Little Deer, and Big Deer Mountain Trails. Explore diverse woodlands and unique habitat on the Peacham Bog Loop Trail. Hosmer Brook, Coldwater Brook and Telephone line trails traverse woodlands and mountain streams. These are just a small sampling of the multitude of trails in this area. For detailed trail info and maps, click on the link below to visit the park web page.

Historic Sites

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was instrumental in building many of Vermont's state parks, including those in the Groton Forest. Visitors can take tours of CCC locations throughout the Groton Forest, and there are self-guided tour pamphlets and history guides available at the park or online.

Picnicking

Picnicking is allowed at the park, with 75 shaded picnic sites with tables and grills and a large open-air picnic pavilion that is available to rent for group functions. The pavilion offers seating for up to 100 people and comes with a charcoal grill, 10 picnic tables, and access to nearby swimming, paddling, and fishing. There is also a concession stand at the beach.

Water Sports

Swimming is permitted at the park. There is a large sandy beach with a grassy lawn for public use, and many visitors enjoy wading or bringing an inner tube to lazily float along the cool waters.

Wildlife Watching

Groton State Forest is known for its abundance of moose, loons, bear, and white-tailed deer. Visitors may also see porcupines, raccoons, fox, and coyote.

Winter Sports

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, mushing, ice fishing and snowmobiling are popular winter activities. Nearby VAST trails are available for snowmobiling.

Seasonality/Weather

Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend from 10:00 am - sunset.